CONSTANTINOPLE. 47 
Si. Sophia, the spectator is conducted down a chap. 
long flight of stairs. We visited it several , . ^1 . 
times, and always with the same impression. 
There is, moreover, a littleness and confused 
Gothic barbarism in the disposition of the parts 
which connect the dome with the foundation ; 
and in its present state it is bolstered on the 
outside with heavy buttresses, like those of a 
bridge. Mosaic work remains very entire in 
many parts of the interior. The dome seems 
to have been adorned with an uniform coating 
of gilded tessera, which the Turhs are constantly 
removing for sale ; attaching superstitious vir- 
tues to those loose fragments of Mosaic, from 
the eagerness of strangers to procure them. 
In the great arch, opposite to the principal 
entrance, the Mosaic is coloured, and represents 
the figures of Saints, of the Virgin, and groupes 
of enormous wings without bodies. We copied 
a few letters of an Inscription in that part of 
the building, which were, beyond all doubt, 
coeval with the edifice itself; and therefore, 
although they ofier a very imperfect legend, it is 
proper they should be preserved ; nothing of the 
kind having hitherto been noticed in St. Sophia. 
O C K A I X PYCOY 
HE NTHKONTA 
TAAANTA0EOK 
. . N . . . O I CN E 
. E K E I 
